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Doing More Good with ASPIRE

Several years ago, Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency program started to help a young, single woman by the name of Kamekia Hart. At the time, Ms. Hart was working part-time at a fast-food restaurant, could not afford health insurance but still made too much money to qualify for Medicaid. She was struggling to stay afloat and living check to check. She wanted the opportunity to do more with her life, but did not know where or how to begin without the resources to support her determination.

Ms. Hart had aspirations of starting a career in the medical field, but couldn’t afford the required vaccinations and physical exams educational institutions usually require before entering into vocational training for this particular field. Not to mention, vocational training to become a phlebotomist required the purchase of books, schools supplies, as well as, out-of-pocket tuition expenses; none of which she would be able to receive financial aid for. So albeit Ms. Hart wanted better for herself, she was not quite sure how she would achieve it.

Luckily, Ms. Hart stumbled across Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency program and started her journey of empowerment. Self-Sufficiency helped her research the course requirements, referred her to agencies that assisted with vaccinations, made sure she had the tuition for school, uniforms, and the CPR course required for successful entry into the school’s phlebotomy program. Finally, Ms. Hart could start her long-awaited adventure of becoming a phlebotomist and start her career in medical services.

Upon completion of her vocational training, Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency provided Ms. Hart with the necessary tools to succeed beyond her coursework. Self-Sufficiency connected her with the resources to build her resume, sharpen her interviewing skills and provided constructive, yet compassionate advice on how to answer difficult questions regarding her criminal background.

Not only did Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency assist Ms. Hart with employment related barriers, helping her to knock those same obstacles right out of her way, Self-Sufficiency also helped reduce some of her anxiety by helping her to stop having to “look over her shoulder,” waiting to be arrested; Ms. Hart had prior convictions that were outstanding at the time of her enrollment. Self-Sufficiency empowered her with the legal resources she needed to get those issues under control, stop feeling overwhelmed with angst about possibly being arrested and even managed to help her with the costs associated with recuperating her Driver’s License. She even received tax preparation assistance, budget management counseling which assisted in helping her to purchase her own car and obtaining insurance.

Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency was committed to helping Ms. Hart become self-sufficient and, most importantly, accomplish her own goals and realize her own vision, of herself.

Want to know how Action Pathways Self-Sufficiency can help you? Speak to someone on our Self-Sufficiency staff to help get you started on your journey of for a better, brighter tomorrow! Call us at (910) 223 - 0116, option 1.

If you would like to give your time to Action Pathways and its programs, please click here and sign-up to become one of our next volunteers.​

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